The future of the new theater on the Parade in Den Bosch hangs on a thread. In the coming years, millions of extra from the municipality are needed to become financially healthy. “Because the rack is out,” warn mayor and aldermen of Den Bosch in a letter to the city council.
The Bossche Theater, which opened its doors after a renovation in the autumn of 2023, receives a 3.7 million subsidy from the municipality of Den Bosch every year. But they don’t make it. There must be a substantial amount of money, as can be read in the letter from the College of Den Bosch to the city council.
The theater asks for:
- A structural increase in the municipal subsidy of 530,000 euros per year.
- A one -off investment impulse of a total of 1 million euros.
It is also requested to postpone the collection of the outstanding debts of 1.5 million euros and 750,000 euros respectively by the municipality.
The housing costs in particular press heavily on the exploitation of the theater. It is not only a higher rent and higher costs for maintenance, but also the real estate tax (OZB) has risen by 100,000 euros.
“Despite all the efforts to reduce costs and increase entrepreneurship, it is not possible to realize the desired cultural ambitions with current municipal financing,” the letter says.
“What weighs heavier: the finances or culture?”
“We can now only acknowledge that the financial rack is out if we want to maintain the cultural ambitions as much as possible.” The Commission continues: ‘We put the question to your city council for what you make heavier weighing: the finances or the cultural objectives. As a college we explicitly opt for the latter. “
The construction of the new theater cost many millions and lasted three years. The old theater on the Parade was demolished because there was a lot of overdue maintenance. There was also asbestos in the building and the halls were no longer of this time.
Renovation cost 80 million
The costs for the project became higher over the years. In the end, 12 million euros extra was needed and the total amount of construction came to 80 million.
In 2024, the theater suffered a loss of around 1.3 million euros, while a shortage of 265,000 euros had previously assumed. Even then the financial situation was called ‘worrying’.
The municipality refused to increase the subsidy at the time. Strict agreements were made about this in 2018, whereby it was decided that this is and will remain the maximum subsidy amount.